Aksarben Village (67th & Center)

[Louie]

We ate dinner last night at Oklahoma Joes. Probably my first visit in 2 years. It was pretty darn good (by Omaha BBQ standards). And the place was mostly full at 8 pm.

This summer (and pretty much any day that its nice out) most of Aksarben is pretty dang busy.

[labguy]

Has anyone heard what is going into the former Backwoods space? They've been working on it for a couple months.

[labguy]

I guess I can answer my own question now. Driving by this morning, I saw a sign for the Samuel Bak Museum in the former Backwoods space. Apparently, this is a new museum affiliated with UNO to display the work of Samuel Bak who is a painter and Holocaust survivor. There is also classroom and lecture space. It will be free to the public.

You can see more here https://www.unomaha.edu/samuel-bak-muse ... /index.php.

It says this will be the temporary home for 3 years. I'm not sure if UNO will build something new or renovate existing space on campus for a permanent home.

[almighty_tuna]

It's an inventive use for the space and will definitely get more visibility for the arts, which is definitely a plus in my eyes. However, I hope it's not indicative of an inability to find a commercial tenant.

[Coyote]

Samuel Bak Museum gallery set to open at UNO

The Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center and the University of Nebraska-Omaha will hold a gallery opening tomorrow at Aksarben Village, near the Scott Campus. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Bak is a world-renowned artist and Holocaust survivor. Bak’s surrealist paintings encourage reflection and conversation around human rights. He hopes the gallery will better prepare students with a sense of purpose, civic responsibility, and cultural awareness.

[iamjacobm]

Interesting new listing. The scale of this building is almost as tall as HDR. Also looks like a concept, but a residential tower on that back corner would be impressive too.

https://www.crexi.com/lease/properties/ ... -av6-lot-2

[skinzfan23]

Looks great. I think something like that was always the plan.

I still can’t believe they haven’t built the residential buildings yet. I think they would be full right away.

[Louie]

Very ambitious for the space. Hopefully it pans out.

[stormchaser]

Looks nice - hopefully it helps with the "wind tunnel" that the outdoor Inner Rail area tends to be right now (if you've ate outside there on even a somewhat windy day, you know what I mean).

[Athomsfere]

I would love to see both of those lots that are slated for possible residential become anything not 5 over 1. Nothing against 5 over 1 (residential is residential really). But even 6 stories of hybrid timber, like Ita loves, or concrete would look great here.

[ita]

That's cool for AV. That will be a nicely tall block of 10-ish story buildings. Agreed with the comment that a tall midrise residential building like that would fill up quick.

Sorry to be negative though; why can't Noddle do similar sized buildings in North Downtown? Must not be demand yet to justify, but I feel like the current plan for Builder's District is underutilizing that area and shooting themselves in the foot by not building up.

[skinzfan23]

That's cool for AV. That will be a nicely tall block of 10-ish story buildings. Agreed with the comment that a tall midrise residential building like that would fill up quick.

Sorry to be negative though; why can't Noddle do similar sized buildings in North Downtown? Must not be demand yet to justify, but I feel like the current plan for Builder's District is underutilizing that area and shooting themselves in the foot by not building up.

100% agree about downtown. The plan there is totally undersized. There could be much better things. Although with the streetcar, maybe some more mid-rise buildings will come along that route.

[Brad]

Looks great. I think something like that was always the plan.

I still can’t believe they haven’t built the residential buildings yet. I think they would be full right away.

Yeah, this was announced a year or so ago. However I don't remember it being quite this tall in the past? I would need to go find that old post.

Edit, Found the old post from March 26th, 2022

Grow Omaha just announced a seven story office building where the volleyball courts are on the southside of the HDR parking garage. And then just to the east of that also on the southside the parking garage will be a six story apartment building. Designing this year construction maybe start the end of the year or beginning of 2023.

[skinzfan23]

Grow Omaha just announced a seven story office building where the volleyball courts are on the southside of the HDR parking garage. And then just to the east of that also on the southside the parking garage will be a six story apartment building. Designing this year construction maybe start the end of the year or beginning of 2023.

This was your post from last June Brad, so at that time it was supposed to be around 7 floors.

[Brad]

Grow Omaha just announced a seven story office building where the volleyball courts are on the southside of the HDR parking garage. And then just to the east of that also on the southside the parking garage will be a six story apartment building. Designing this year construction maybe start the end of the year or beginning of 2023.

This was your post from last June Brad, so at that time it was supposed to be around 7 floors.

Ha, just posted that too. Nice to see it get larger and not smaller.

[skinzfan23]

Like we stated before, there has got to be a lot of demand for housing in that area, especially since its so central to so many things in Omaha.

[Dusty]

This fills in the last few spots, right? The only spot I can recall still empty is the corner by the Residence Inn (67th and Shirley)

What are the odds Aksarben Village expands South? I could see the Baxter Arena surface lots developed in time.
Does UNO own that land?

[Louie]

There are still quite a few parking lots that UNO owns that could feasibly be garages down the road.

[Padre]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

[Athomsfere]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

[Brad]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

Tal Anderson Field and the Connie Claussen Softball Field take up most of the good land. Most everything east of the road (67th Street) is in the flood plain.

[iamjacobm]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

Are you thinking of Elmwood? UNO does not own that and hopefully never does.

The land south of Center was a golf course like 15 years ago and they have obviously built on much of it.

[Dusty]

I was mainly referencing the surface lots around Baxter Arena. IMO, we have plenty of parking with the garages. Even on a busy day, there are easily 500+ stalls open. I would love to see AV develop around the arena. We can even make the upper floors dorms to work UNO.

Back to the map image. Are the two proposed residential buildings going to have ground floor commercial?

[Athomsfere]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

Are you thinking of Elmwood? UNO does not own that and hopefully never does.

The land south of Center was a golf course like 15 years ago and they have obviously built on much of it.

Probably am. Is that a city owned golf course?

[Louie]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

Are you thinking of Elmwood? UNO does not own that and hopefully never does.

The land south of Center was a golf course like 15 years ago and they have obviously built on much of it.

Probably am. Is that a city owned golf course?

Elmwood is, yes.

[Padre]

UNO was hemmed in for expansion for years, before getting the land to the south, and the old golf course. I can’t see them giving up any of it any time soon

They own the gold course? Perfect area for expansion. Surely there is zero value is using it as a place for people to walk around in grass and hit balls?

Are you thinking of Elmwood? UNO does not own that and hopefully never does.

The land south of Center was a golf course like 15 years ago and they have obviously built on much of it.

Probably am. Is that a city owned golf course?

Elmwood is, yes.

Sorry to cause confusion, I was not referring to Elmwood. I meant the old Chili Greens course on Center.

[stormchaser]

Not sure what's going on with the HDR HQ in Aksarben but they must charge an unreasonable amount of rent for their retail tenants on the first floor - especially street side tenants.

Since the beginning of 2023, they have lost Green Belly (which always seemed busy), LuLulemon (I believe they relocated to Village Pointe), and now "308" (another clothing store which I don't think was there for more than 6 months).

The only retailers that remain on the front side of their building anyway is "Zoup" and a recently added candle store (which I can't imagine the candle store will survive if the others didn't). I believe there is a mens clothing store moving in to where LuLulemon used to be but still, lots of vacancy in their building specifically and the only logical explanation is the rent is too high for these places to survive or want to stay anyway.

Just seems very odd to me...

[Athomsfere]

Not sure what's going on with the HDR HQ in Aksarben but they must charge an unreasonable amount of rent for their retail tenants on the first floor - especially street side tenants.

Since the beginning of 2023, they have lost Green Belly (which always seemed busy), LuLulemon (I believe they relocated to Village Pointe), and now "308" (another clothing store which I don't think was there for more than 6 months).

The only retailers that remain on the front side of their building anyway is "Zoup" and a recently added candle store (which I can't imagine the candle store will survive if the others didn't). I believe there is a mens clothing store moving in to where LuLulemon used to be but still, lots of vacancy in their building specifically and the only logical explanation is the rent is too high for these places to survive or want to stay anyway.

Just seems very odd to me...

Lululemon from memory was a weird "popup store" with a great location. I believe it was always meant to be short lived.

[Nosebot]

To be fair, I think Greenbelly must be struggling. They had three locations at one point and a fourth ready to open in La Vista, but now the only location they have left is 114th and Dodge.

[stormchaser]

To be fair, I think Greenbelly must be struggling. They had three locations at one point and a fourth ready to open in La Vista, but now the only location they have left is 114th and Dodge.

Ahh, yeah that could be...

[Mr.Nuke]

To be fair, I think Greenbelly must be struggling. They had three locations at one point and a fourth ready to open in La Vista, but now the only location they have left is 114th and Dodge.

I think most if not all of the other locations were franchises.

[lpgforms]

I was on Loopnet yesterday and it looks like the used handbag store in the building is available for lease now.

[Louie]

I was on Loopnet yesterday and it looks like the used handbag store in the building is available for lease now.

I don't have much of a pulse on that market, but I'm surprised by some of the business ideas that start in brick and mortar.

[stormchaser]

I saw this morning that the space in the HDR building formerly occupied by Green Belly is now "leased". No indication as of yet of what will be going in that space though...

[stormchaser]

Sounds like the owners of one of the high-end restaurants in town (I don't recall which) has leased the old Green Belly space in HDR and is going to open a new "fried chicken" style restaurant along the lines of Raising Canes or Daves Hot Chicken. To clarify, it won't be a franchise like those - it's a brand new concept they're starting.

[ita]

Sounds like the owners of one of the high-end restaurants in town (I don't recall which) has leased the old Green Belly space in HDR and is going to open a new "fried chicken" style restaurant along the lines of Raising Canes or Daves Hot Chicken. To clarify, it won't be a franchise like those - it's a brand new concept they're starting.

I won't complain about more fried chicken. Bring it on.

[hatwate]

Interesting new listing. The scale of this building is almost as tall as HDR. Also looks like a concept, but a residential tower on that back corner would be impressive too.

https://www.crexi.com/lease/properties/ ... -av6-lot-2

Signs are up in AV showing the first one of these pictures as a building with the info that it is coming in 2024/25.

[OracleOfOmaha]

Not for nothing...had 3 friends from Phoenix in Omaha this weekend. Hit just about every popular neighborhood.

All 3 said it Aksarben was the best. Not the most fun, but best.

Was a little surprised

[skinzfan23]

I do think Aksarben is by far the most built out mixed use example we have in the metro. There are established companies, a movie theater, and restaurants.

[Garrett]

I feel like Aksarben is one of the few examples where we’ve gotten more than what was originally proposed.